1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to internal combustion engines, and more particularly to a rotary internal combustion engine having spherical reciprocating pistons.
1. Description of Related Art
Internal combustion engines, specifically the four-stroke internal combustion engine, was first put to use in the motor car by Karl Benz in 1885. The most common form of internal combustion engine uses reciprocating pistons driven within separate and discrete cylinders by an ignited and expanding fuel mixture. Prior art references referring to internal combustion engines include the following: U.S. Pat. No. 03,651,638 "internal combustion engine"; U.S. Pat. No. 04058091 "internal combustion engine of a lean air-fuel mixture combustion type"; U.S. Pat. No. 05,960,752 "combustion control apparatus for spark ignition type 2-cycle internal combustion engine"; and for reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 04,461,260; 04,429,533; 04,720,977; 04,300,486; 03,633,553. While at least one reference does teach a rotary piston mounted such as that utilized in the present invention, none utilize spherical pistons, a roller sealing means which isolates gas pressure zones within the uniform annular circular space, so as to increase the volatility and therefore the ignitibility of gases within the fuel ignition ports. In addition, none utilize an urging means providing a roller portion that makes rolling contact with the spherical pistons. Combustion chambers in the standard internal combustion engine require many more combustion temperature control points, moving parts, and frictional wear surfaces than the engine provided by the present invention. The present invention provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.